Tanegashima (種子島) is an island lying to the south of Kyushu, south Japan.
It is a long low stretch of land, carefully cultivated, and celebrated as the place where Mendez Pinto landed when he found his way to Japan in 1543. Until modern times firearms were colloquially known in Japan as " Tanega-shima," in allusion to the fact that they were introduced by Pinto.
The headquarters of NASDA (National Space Development Agency), the spaceport Tanegashima Space Center is located at the southeastern end of the island.
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Initial text from a 1911 Encyclopedia. Please update as needed.